The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-08
A ROMANCE OF SIBERIA
How q Learned Professor Became a Wood.
Cutter in Central Asia.

HOW d Learned Professor Became a Wood.
Cutter in Central Asia.
Oddessa Letter in Levant Herald
A civil engineer, who has Just returned from
Central Asia, where he spent six years, relates
the following incident:
The monotony of his residence in those remote
provinces was broken by an occasional hunting
expedition into Siberia. On of these trap.
ping expeditions, which included younger
member of one of the grand ducal families the
party were one evening belated in pine forest
at some distance from the days bivouac. They
were utterly astray. A stenrorian view-halloc
brought TO the assistance and guidance OF tho
party a wood cutter-an old man of some three
score years, with tangled locks. coarse kartan
and bark-swathed feet Under the old man's
guidance the party found a rude hut, a charcoal
fire and simple cooking utensils. The ngineer
noticed that the old wood cutter, when unob-
served, scanned his face rather attentively. He
took quiet opportunity of asking the old man
if he observed in him any resemblance to SONS
one he had previously known. "A very strong
resemblance. was the reply. Were you not
some fifteen years ago student of the Richelevski
Gymnase in Odessa" The engineer answered
athrmatively. .And do you not remember Pro-
lessor - Certainly; he was man beloved
by every student in his class / shall always re-
member kindly the amiabe ard learned pro-
fessor who disappeared SO suddenly and mystic
riously from Odessa. But what do you know OF
him?'
The old wood-cutter for the first time smiled;
the heavy mustache and beard had hidden the
lines of the mouth in repose. The young engin-
eer had not forgotten the peculiarly sad sweet
ness of his old professors smile. The ragged
and picturesque wood cutter and the former
learned professor or Sanscrit and comparative
philoogy were the same. The rencontre was,
under the circumstance, naturally at both
pleasing and painful to my friend, TO whose i'm
mediate and anxious inquiries the old man re-
piled sadly: ''All Gods will, my boy. AS to the
suddenness and mystery of my disappearance
from Odessa, the secret police might have ex.
planned. Nothing beyond an unfounded suspicion
of disaffection to our Little Father and prepos.
ferrous charge of disseminating a revolutionary
doctrine have sent to this life long Punishment
But do not repine. have sufficient philosophy
left to apply myself to the telling of pine trees,
with the same zest as that with which / formerly
delighted to pursue knotty pathological prob
lem Am not wise in my generation and old
aeea I am deprived of the sight and companion
ship of OLD friends but God gives me health and
portion of contentment. My masters pay mo
with but few unkind words and two roubles per
mensem. My old Odessa pupils paid me six
roubles an hour But what of thatl have suf-
fcent Some old memories draw tightly round
the heart and give me infinite pain Then
swing my heavy adze with greater force and en-
deavor to forget. 1t is TO Joy to look upon
the still youthful face of my old pupil bat do not
probe my heart, child. / ask you not to speak
to at parting. You were always obedient.
and you hear me. God keep you! Good bye!"
The old man would not allow my friend to con-
vey any messages to relatives or acouaintances.
who. he said, had probably forgotten his exist
ence and he would not disturb dead memories.
How many others there like the old pro-
fessor-men, Also of birth, breeding. and brill
liant intellectual parts. languishing out their
lives in the dreary wilds of Siberia for baseless
suspicionl The reflection is saddening.